Photo of Garrett Shaub from July 2012, taken from his Facebook account with his father Larry Shaub's permission. july 21, 2014

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Larry Schaub said he made a deal with God years ago to take him before any of his four boys.

“Obviously, he didn’t listen to me,” he said Monday night. “... This single event is by far the worst event that has ever happened in our lives.”

His youngest son, 14-year-old Garrett Schaub, died in an alcohol-fueled crash involving a carload of teenagers early Sunday morning, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Larry Schaub said he stayed up late Saturday, not going to bed until about 1:30 a.m. Sunday after returning to his Mandarin home from a vacation in the Florida Keys with his family. His two teenage sons were home and safe when he went to sleep.

Garrett died after crashing into an oak tree about 4:10 a.m. in a BMW driven by 17-year-old Michael Brandon Ramdass, a family friend.

Schaub said he’ll miss hearing his son call him Pops and seeing his smirky grin. The 14-year-old would have been a freshman at Mandarin High School when school starts this year.

Police said alcohol and speed were factors in the crash that killed Garrett, who was in the rear passenger seat when the BMW struck a tree in the 12800 block of Mandarin Road. It was northbound at a high rate of speed and ran off a curve in the road, police said.

Michael Carlson, a father, witnessed the immediate aftermath.

“There were three people in the car. One had just gotten out. He was unconscious,” he said. “The driver was in a lot of pain.”

Ramdass, 17, suffered serious injuries, according to the Sheriff’s Office crash report. The names of others in the car, all juveniles, have not been released by police.

The female front passenger was the only occupant wearing a seat belt and had minor injuries. Another male passenger in the rear seat suffered life-threatening injuries.

Schaub said his other son, 15-year-old Taylor, was tired and didn’t sneak out with his brother to go to the apparent party.

The grieving father said he’s already forgiven Ramdass.

“Brandon [Ramdass] will be in his own prison for the rest of his life,” he said. “... He’s a kid. He made a stupid mistake.”

He said jail probably shouldn’t be the punishment, but he would like to see Ramdass do community service. He would like to see him speak to other teenagers about the dangers of drinking and driving.

Schaub also plans on advocating and speaking about underage drinking and driving.

“My goal at this point is to do what I can to stop teenage drinking and driving,” he said.

A member of Mandarin United Methodist church, Schaub said his bitterness is testing his faith, but that will pass. He said he’s thankful because his other son could have easily been in the car Sunday morning, but wasn’t.

“God spared one but took the other,” he said. “I guess there was a job opening for a yellow-haired, green-eyed angel.”

They keep changing the headline and keeping it on the front page. Helpcity thanks for your input. Racial justice. Gogirl my child never sneaked out to joy ride with drunk older teenagers.She feared her parents. She lives strait and narrow.

@helpcity I read the link from your comment.......I'll watch and see how this plays out.....first let's see what this kid is charged with.....he is 17 so he should be easily be charged as an adult with drunk driving and vehicular homicide/manslaughter or something close......yes it's sad but sad is not the law...